Apparatus for tapping molten metal



(No Model.) v

G. W. GGETZ.

APPARATUS POR TAPPING MOLTBN METAL. No. 414,397. Patented Nov. 5, 1889.

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UNITED ST Ares yPninivr FFICE@ .GEORGE W. GOETZ, OF PITTSBURG,PENNSYLVANIA.

SPECIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent o. 414,397, dated November5, 1889.

Application filed September 27, A1889. Serial No. 325,287. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. Gonrz, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pittsburg, in the county of- Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented or discovered a certain new and usefulImprovement in Apparatus for Tapping Molten Metal, of which improvementthe following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to obviate the liability to accident andWaste of metal which obtains in the ordinary method of tapping moltenmetal through an opening at or near the bottom of the furnace or chamberfrom which it is to be Withdrawn and to admit of the periodicalWithdrawal of determined quantities of metal, as may from time to timebe desired.

To this end my invention, generally stated, consists in the combination,With a furnace or other receptacle of molten metal, of a tappingchamberhaving the general characteristics of a siphon, and provided with anascending and descending passage communicating at top above aninterposed partition-Wall at a higher level than that of the moltenmetal in thereceptacle, and having an inlet from said receptacle at ornear the bottom thereof, and a tapping-hole and door at a lower levelthan the inlet, an exhauster connected by a pipe with the upper portionof the tapping-chamber, and a regulating-valve controlling said pipe andadapted to establish communication between the tapping-chamber and theeX- hauster or the atmosphere, respectively.

The improvement claimed is hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical central sectionthrough an apparatus for tapping molten metal embodying my invention,and Fig. 2 a horizontal section through the same at the line a: of Fig.l.

My invention is herein illustrated as applied in connection with astorage-chamber l, adapted to receive a comparatively large charge ofmolten metal from a furnace or series of furnaces and to retain the samein a v iiuid condition for a sufcient period to enable portions of thecharge to be Withdrawn at different desired intervals. It will beobvious, however, that my improvement is applicable, under the samestructural and operative principles and conditions, to the tapping orWithdrawal of molten metal from a furnace in which its fusion has beeneffected.

The storage-chamber l may be of any desired shape and dimensions, beingpreferably, as shown, of cylindrical form, having a metallic'shell linedwith lire-brick or other refractory material 2, and faced upon itsbottom and sides to a level slightly above that of its maximum charge ofmolten metal with an inner lining of refractory material 3. The chamberis closed at top by an arched cover 4;, and is provided with a lateralchargingpassage 5, through which the molten metal is supplied from afurnace by ladies or spouts, the chamber having been previously heatedthroughout, preferably by the combustion of gas introduced thereinto.

A tapping-chamber 6, formed of a metallic shell lined with refractorymaterial, is erected adjacent to the storage-chamber l,

'said chamber having a central vertical partition-Wall 7 interposedbetween the two vertical portions of an inverted- U -formed passage Swithin the tapping-chamber, said vertical portions communicating at topabove the top of the partition-Wall, which is at a higher level thanthat of'the maximum charge of molten metal supplied to thestorage-chamber. A pipe 9, for the circulation of Water,

'extends through the top of the partition-Wall 7, to prevent the samefrom being burned away, and an air-passage l0 is formed in the Wallbelow the pipe 9, to exert a cooling action thereon. The inner verticalportion of the passage S, or that nearest the storagechamber, isconnected at its-bottom therewith by an inlet ll, Which is located at ornear the bot-tom of the storage-chamber, and through which the moltenmetal will pass from the storage-chamber into the inner portion of thepassage 8 and be maintained therein by the partition-Wall at the samelevel as that of the metal which remains in the storage-chamber. Theopposite or outer ver-Y tical portion of the passage S is extendeddownwardly to a level below that of the inlet 11, and is provided at itsbottom with a tapping-hole 12, which is closed by a suitable plug ordoor-13, of refractory material. The tapping-chamber is closed at topbya removable cover 14, having a vertical neck or tubular extension 15,communicating with the top of the passage 8. The tapping-hole isprovided with a spout 16, through which the molten metal from thetapping-hole is delivered to a ladle 17.

An exhauster 18, which in this instance is a steam-actuated air-pump, isconnected by a pipe 19 with the top of the vertical extension 15 of thetapping-chamber, the portion of the pipe 19 adjacent to the chamberbeing inclosed in a casing 20, through which a circulation of water ismaintained by means of suitable supply and discharge pipes 21 22, toprevent overheating of the pipe 19. A vacuum-ehamber 23, from which theair is normally exhausted as far as is practicable so to do, is bypreference interposed in the pipe 19 between the tapping-chamber and.the pump, in order that the exhaust of air from lthe passage 8, bymeans of which, as presently to be described, the molten metal is drawnfrom the storage-chamber, may be effected more rapidly than where thepump alone is employed. The pipe 19 is controlled by a three-Way cock24, which is located between the tapping-chamber and the vacuumchamber23, and is actuated by a rod 25, said cock being adapted to establishcommunica- 'tion either between the tapping-chainber and thevacuum-chamber a-nd pump or between the tapping-chamber and theatmosphere, as the case may be.

In the operation of the apparatus, the storagechamber 1 having beenheated and supplied with a charge of molten metal, the tapping-hole 12closed by its plug 13, and the air exhausted from the vacuum-chamber 24,and it being desired to tap molten metal from the receptacle 1, the cock24 is turned into position to open communication between thetapping-chamber and the Vvacuuni-chamber 23, whereupon the air will beexhausted from the tapping-chamber and extension 15, and the pressure ofthe atmosphere on the surface of the molten metal in thestorage-chainber will force the same into the tappingchamber, entirelyfilling the passage 8 and rising above the same in the tubular extension15 to a level above that of the metal in the storage-chamber, determinedby the speciiic gravity of the metal andthe degree of completeness ofthe vacuum effected by the exhauster. By removing the plug 13 of thetapping-hole 12 the pressure of the atmosphere on the molten metal inthe storagechamber will cause the molten metal to flow from thetapping-chainber through the tapping -hole, the quantity withdrawnbeingv continuously replaced by a. corresponding flow from thestorage-chamber through the inlet 11, inasmuch as the discharge-openingis located at a lower level than said inlet, and the passage Sconsequently acts in the manner of a siphon to effect a 'continuousoutiiow of metal. When a sufiicient quantity of metal has been tappedout, the regulating-cock 24 is turned into position to opencommunication between the atmosphere and the upper tubular extension 15of the tapping-chamber. Atmospheric pressure above the surface of themolten metal in the tubular extension being thereby reinstated, themolten metal therein falls by gravity in the inner vertical portion ofthe passage 8 to the level of the metal in the storage-chamber, and themetal in the outer portion of the passage viiows out through'thetapping-hole.

1. In an apparatus for tapping molten.V

metal, the combination, with a molten-metal receptacle, of atapping-chamber having an 'inverted-U-shaped passage communicating onone side with the receptacle and provided with an opening and door at alower level on its opposite side, an exhauster communicating with theupper portion of the tappingchamber, and a regulating-cock adapted toestablish communicationbetween the'tappingchamber and the exhauster orthe atmosphere, respectively, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a molten-metal receptacle, ot a tapping-chamberhaving a vertical partition-wall extending above thev level of themaximum charge of the receptacle, .an ascending and descending passageformed on each side of and above the partition-wall, an inlet connectingone side of said passage with the lower portion of the receptacle, and atapping-hole and door located on the opposite side of said passage at alower level than the inlet, an exhauster,apipe connecting the exhausterwith the upper portion of the tapping-chamber passage, and a threewaycock controlling communication between the tapping-chamber and theexhauster and between the tapping-chamber and the atmosphere,substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a molten-metal receptacle, of a tapping-chamberhaving a vertical partition-wall extending above the level of themaximum charge of the receptacle, an

ascending and descending passage formed on each side of and above thepartition-wall, an inlet connecting one side of said passage with TheIIO

the lower portion of the receptacle, and a pump communicating with thevaeuum-eham- Io tapping-hole and door located on the oppober,substantially as set forth. site side of said passage at a lower levelthan In testimony whereof I have hereunto set the illlllet, avacuum-chamber, apipe conneetmy hand. 5 ing t e vacuum-ehamber with theupper por- ,T A v tion of the tapping-chamber passage, a three- GEGRGEXX GOETZ Way cock eontrollin g communication between Vitnesses: thetapping-chamber and the Vaouum-eham J. SNOWDEN BELL, ber or theatmosphere, respectively, and a WILLIAM BEAL.

